is one of the major deities in the Norse pantheon. He is a son of the giant Farbauti ("cruel striker") and the giantess Laufey. He is regarded as one of Aesir, but is on occasion their enemy. He is connected with fire and magic, and can assume many different shapes (horse, falcon, fly). is handsome and has a friendly appearance, but an evil nature. He is crafty and malicious, but is also heroic. The ambivalent god grows progressively more evil, and is directly responsible for the death of Balder, the god of light. is also the father (and m ....